


Home to You

by idleking



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, kise is a pilot, kuroko works at a daycare, momoi is so cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 03:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6103962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idleking/pseuds/idleking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Kuroko's birthday, but Kise isn't home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Home to You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> first fic post!! hope y'all enjoy!  
> a big thank u to katie for editing!

“Shit, shit, shit--”

“It’s fine, Kise. You’ve dealt with worse before,” Kasamatsu sighed, settling in beside him.

The delay seemed to be stressing Kise out more than his passengers, and as he ticked away at the dashboard, Kasamatsu swore the temperature in the cabin rose by at _least_ 50°.

Sure, Kise had known that taking this route would be cutting it close, that the chances of him managing to swoop in last minute and save the day were slim. Despite all that, he had still _hoped._ Hope wasn’t enough, however. He had been silly.

It was early morning now in Japan, and Kuroko would wake up, alone, and go about his regular schedule soon. He’d get dressed, likely choosing to wear his daycare’s t-shirt, because he had forgotten that today was special. Kise hadn’t realized the wide smile that had settled on his lips, just the thought of Kuroko forgetting about his own birthday and forgetting to iron out his nice dress shirt for the occasion was far too sweet.

Still, he’d be alone.

Kise should be with him. He should be making him breakfast, shaking him awake, kissing him good morning--

He groaned again, eliciting a jab to his side from Kasamatsu.

“You'll be home soon.” _Not soon enough._

He didn’t hate his job, quite the opposite, in fact. Kise loved flying. When he realized that it was _okay_ for him to pursue something more than modeling, that it was _okay_ for him to go beyond basketball, his first thought was to become a pilot. He worked hard for his position, with the support of his friends as well, Kuroko’s especially.

It was on nights like this when he missed Kuroko; He hadn’t seen his partner in days and wanted nothing more than to hold him close.

He had reached for his phone several times now, attempting to write out a text but always erasing it in the end. Cell phone calls weren't enough to express how guilty he felt, and no text would make for a sufficient apology. He never wanted to miss such an important day, but it seemed he had to.

With a tense nod to Kasamatsu, he began his greeting to his passengers and apologizing for the delay.

…

Kuroko woke up alone. It was still dark out, and the snow was coming down lightly. He sat up tiredly, feeling around the bed. No sign of Kise, unsurprisingly. He had slept soundly through the night, so he knew Kise hadn’t trudged in like he normally did. After late flights, Kise could never manage to come in without accidentally stirring the other from his sleep.

Before getting out of bed, he grabbed aimlessly, searching for his phone, hoping for some news from Kise, but received no such message. He did, however, have two from Kagami, one from Aomine and another from Momoi. He expected any other messages (from Midorima or Akashi) to come later, at a more reasonable hour. He knew Murasakibara would only text him after Akashi reminded him to.

Each message wished him a happy birthday. He’d reply later, once he was properly awake.

One message in particular stood out.

 **_momoi-san_ ** _: (^○^) Happy Birthday, Tetsu! If you don't want to come into work today that's okay (^_−)−☆ Enjoy your day with Ki-chan._

He smiled at the sentiment, but got ready for work anyway. He sent her a quick text telling her to expect him, to which she replied with angry emojis and colorful but empty threats.

As Kuroko struggled to get himself out of bed, he thought about how Kise hadn't stumbled in through their apartment the night before. He hadn’t hauled his suitcase with him like he usually did, somehow managing to fool himself into thinking he was quiet.

Whenever he flew in late, no matter how late, he’d always insist on showering. Kise would hop in the shower and hop out smelling like strawberries, then climb into bed with Kuroko, eager to catch up on lost sleep.

He forced himself to the bathroom.

Kuroko stood outside the shower, trying to recall if Kise had said anything about arriving late.  He came up with nothing.

Sometimes -and he convinced himself it was on accident- Kuroko would use Kise’s shampoo, just to be reminded of him.

He did that this morning.

…

Each of his students beamed up at him as they entered. Momoi reminded them each as they entered that it was their teacher’s birthday, and they all greeted him eagerly.

“Kuroko- sensei, happy birthday!”

Momoi, upon seeing him, immediately scolded him for coming in. She could hold down the fort while he took the day to himself, she huffed. Regardless, he thanked her softly with a nod of his head, but repeated there was no need.

“Alright,” She sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “So, any plans?” She was grinning, clearly hoping to hear some kind of juicy plan. He shook his head, and began helping the kids shed their coats.

Once all had wished him a pleasant birthday, they got to their own business. ‘Business’ being playing with blocks and coloring, mainly.

Some children wanted him to read to them. Five story books later, the kids expressed that they were hungry. Surely enough, it was about time for snacks.

Momoi called for him from the kitchen, “Kuroko-sensei!”

Momoi had a cutting board out, along with apples and oranges. She worked at cutting the oranges into slices and slid the tub of apples to Kuroko. When he hesitated before taking them, she frowned. She looked him over once before nodding firmly. Her eyes expressed apology, a sympathetic smile gracing her lips.

“Ki-chan didn't come home?”

Kuroko focused on the apples on the cutting board.

He said nothing. She waited.

“He didn't text me.”

“Oh.”

There was a long silence, though Kuroko didn’t find it uncomfortable. Momoi wouldn’t know why Kise hadn’t texted, and she surely couldn’t give him news regarding his flight.

“Should I cut them into rabbits?” He held up one slice, the skin peeled off and cut to mimic a rabbit’s ears.

From the way Momoi cooed at the small rabbit-apple, he decided it was a good idea.

While the kids ate, Kuroko found himself thinking again.

Kise _always_ texted him before taking off. He _always_ let Kuroko know how his work was going, spamming his phone with updates and pleas, begging Kuroko to “ _please not worry ☆～（ゝ。∂）_ ”.

And yet, there had been no new texts. He kept his phones ringer on high volume the entire day, eager to hear from his partner. Absentmindedly, he scrolled through their more recent messages.

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _Kurokocchi, I miss you!  。・゜・(ノД`)・゜・。_

 

 ** _Ryouta:_** _but_ _I will stay strong for you! o(^▽^)o Don't forget to lock up tonight!_

 

 **_Kuroko:_ ** _you're the one who forgets, not me._

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _so rude!! ヽ(´o｀；say hi to momoicchi for me! I’ll be home soon_

_(^_−)−☆_

 

 **_Kuroko:_ ** _okay.  Miss you.  :)_

 

The smiley was a hesitant addition on Kuroko’s part. He didn’t want to seem too blunt or flat, although he knew Kise wouldn’t have read it like that. Briefly, Kuroko wondered why he was so concerned about this simple emoticon.

Smiley or not, Kise would understand that he was missed. That much was sure.

He quickly snapped his phone shut and got back to work.

…

For the rest of the day, Kuroko was tense. He had been excited the day before, and truthfully, part of him still was.

During his break, Kuroko sat by a window in the teacher’s room. It was snowing, as was normal for January. If it got too heavy he'd walk home and leave the car.

As he watched the snow pile up, he found himself hoping that Ryouta would surprise him by showing up to his class. He'd hold him tightly while frantically apologizing for being late, but it'd be okay. Kuroko would _tell_ him it was okay, that he was just happy to have him back home.

Kise’s smile was always worth waiting for, after all.

Momoi’s voice snapped him out of his daydream, and he tiredly reminded himself that he had made the decision to come into work himself.

The day dragged on with no sign of Kise. Noticing Kuroko’s distracted gaze and his slow reactions when the students tried to catch his attention, Momoi sighed.

“How about you head home early? I have this under control.” She snapped her fingers to call his attention when he didn’t look up at her.

“Momoi-”

“It's _fine._ They're napping anyway, and after we'll have show and tell. Then they'll be on their way home.” Her smile was bright and her stance confident. She tipped her chin up and held her hands on her hips, daring him to argue.

“Thank you, Satsuki. I'll have an early night, then.” He smiled tersely. He couldn’t really win against her, not after all this time.

Momoi gave his shoulder a tight squeeze before sending him off.

...

Kuroko pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street, and just as he hit the first intersection, his phone buzzed.

He didn't look.

It buzzed again, once more. Twice.

_Probably Momoi again. Maybe she did need him to come back._

He considered turning around, but then remembered how adamant Momoi was in sending him back early. She wasn’t the type to retreat, he recalled fondly.

His phone buzzed again. _Definitely not her, then._

A red light gave him the opportunity to check his phone, but as he lifted it to check, the ringer went off.

_Oh._

Kise was calling him. He denies the call, knowing full well he doesn’t have enough time to talk. He doesn’t bother to read the texts either, but as he drives down the road, he can't help but wonder about them.

Where was Kise? Was he okay? Would he be home soon? Why did he call?

_I miss him._

With a sigh, Kuroko decided he didn’t want to be alone. He couldn’t be alone, not in their (empty) apartment. He felt foolish, but before he knew it he was heading in the direction of the supermarket.

If Kise did show up, no matter how late, he might as well have something prepared. Maybe he’d buy something for himself, too...

…

Kise heard the beeping over the line and pulled his phone away with a frown. Was he busy? Kuroko _was_ at work, that was true. Still, after hours of no contact and days apart, on Kuroko’s birthday no less, he’d expect him to be more eager to talk.

“Hey, Kise! Wait up!” Kasamatsu was hauling his suitcase behind him, loosening his tie as they walked through the airport. He looked exhausted, and Kise knew he was eager to get home too. They both deserved a rest.

Kise was frowning at his phone, the dial tone still beeping. Should he call again?

“He’s at work, dumbass.” Kasamatsu groaned, eyeing Kise wearily. His bottom lip was sticking out, and the expression reminded Kasamatsu of a kicked puppy. “You’re too sensitive.”

Kise feigned hurt, shoving his co-pilot away from him with a loud, over exaggerated whine.

“You’re too mean sometimes! I know he’s at work,” Kise said as he tucked his phone away, “I just miss him. That’s totally normal!” Kasamatsu only rolled his eyes, choosing to tune Kise out. Kise kept mumbling about something, fidgeting with his hat as they strolled through various terminals. Relenting, Kasamatsu spoke.

“He’ll call back, I’m sure. Don’t over think things, yeah?” His attempts at comfort were kind of forced, awkward even. He was always better at tough love, Kise recalled.

Eventually, they had reached the garage. After bidding Kasamatsu goodbye, Kise eagerly got into his car and started the engine. He was almost home.

The drive back to Tokyo wouldn’t be too long, he’d certainly be home before Kuroko. He smirked, realizing that he had a perfect opportunity to make it up to him. If Kuroko was still working, he could meet him there. Humming, he set his course to the daycare.

…

Kuroko had just left the supermarket. He had only two bags with him: one small cake he bought for his birthday, and the other contained a variety of snacks for himself. After loading them into the seat beside him, he pulled out his phone. His hands shook as he dialed Kise’s number.

Kise picked up after the second ring, clearly awaiting the call.

“Ku-Tetsuya!” his voice was breathless.

“Kise-kun, hello.” He tilted his head to lean into the phone, relief washing over him at the sound of his partner’s voice. Kise sounded pleased to hear him.

“Hey, where are you, Tetsuya?”

“...I’ll be back on my way home, once you hang up.” He looked back out on the road, and noted that the roads were entirely safe.

“Ah! Really?!” Kise sounded genuinely shocked, and even a little upset. Kuroko frowned, feeling confused.

“Wait, where are you now you? It's snowing pretty bad, don't tell me you're driving home…..” Kise sounded distracted, rushed.

“I'm not right now, I pulled over.” Kuroko spoke softly, as though reassuring a child. He smiled.

There was a pause.

 

“Where are y--” Kuroko began, but was quiet when he heard another voice on the line. It was a child's voice, soft and sleepy.

“Kuroko-sensei went home?”

Kise replied, his voice slightly muffled as though his hand was over the speaker--

“Yes, Sensei went home.”

“But, we have show and tell,” the voice, he could only assume, belonged to a student of his.

The line went quiet for a minute. Just as he was about to hang up, Kise chimed back in.

“Funny enough, I'm at Kurokocchi’s daycare! I wanted to surprise you.” He could hear the pout in his voice. There was wind in the background now, as though Kise had stepped outside to avoid bothering the children. This time, when he spoke, his voice was softer. “I just flew in too.”

“You're late,” Kuroko replied, eyeing the road again. “Come home.” He hung up before Kise could respond or explain. They'd have time for that later.

He read through Kise’s texts.

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _tetsuyaaaaaa! ヽ(；▽；)ノ_

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _sorry sorry! we just flew in. we had a rough trip（´-`）_

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _how’s work? you went, of course!!! kurokocchi is so diligent!!_

 

Then, the most recent one.

 

 **_Ryouta:_ ** _i have a surprise for youuuu!_

…

It all happened very quickly.

Kuroko had been sitting on the couch, now dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. The heater was on, the light buzz filling the mostly empty apartment. The news was playing for the sake of background noise, to keep him distracted. Apparently, the snow was supposed to come down heavily over night. He hummed, biting into a chocolate bar. _Kise-kun needs to hurry home, or he’ll be snowed in,_ he thought _._

There were a handful of candy wrappers scattered on the couch. How did he manage to go through them so quickly? Idly, he checked his phone, waiting for something, anything.

The second he heard the lock on the door click, he was on his feet. Kuroko was at the door before he could think it through.

Kise was there, uniform and all. His eyes were drooping, his hair disheveled. His grin though--

Kuroko grabbed his face and tugged him down for a kiss, knocking his hat off in the process. Kise’s expression was one of brief surprise, though he quickly smiled into the kiss. They stayed there for a while, Kuroko wrapping his arms around Kise tightly, pulling him in. Even on his tip toes, he still had trouble reaching up to meet Kise.

Remembering that they were in the doorway, Kise moved away, but pressed a light peck to his cheek before doing so. He kicked the door closed with his foot, turning away to lock it.

Kuroko tugged at his shirt impatiently, with an expression that could almost be considered a pout.

With a grin, Kise set aside his suitcase. He shrugged his jacket off quickly, then turned his attention back to Kuroko. His arms came under Kuroko’s, bending at the knees to meet him.

“I’m home, Tetsuya!” He said with a laugh, and Kuroko’s grip around him tightened.

Kuroko reached up to hold his face, more gently this time. He could feel Kise’s breath on his lips, and he remembered how much he had missed the closeness. After coaxing a soft kiss from his lover’s lips, he held his breath. Kise was warm, he was safe, and he was with him.

“Welcome back, Ryouta. I missed you.”

Kise buried his face in Kuroko’s shoulder, unmoving. “Happy Birthday, love.” he whispered, and his arms circled just a _little_ tighter around his partner. His words were laced with an apology, but Kuroko felt no need for one.

After all, Kise’s smile was worth waiting for.

 


End file.
